Patrick Martin

ESA Planetary Scientist in the Solar System Science Operations
Division  at ESAC


I completed my PhD in December 1996 at the Observatoire
Midi-Pyrénées, Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse, France, in the
domain of Astrophysics, Geophysics, and Planetary Sciences. The
thesis title was "Optical and mineralogical heterogeneities of
planetary surfaces through spectral study: The Tharsis region
(Mars) and the Humorum impact basin (Moon)".

Then I took from March 1997 to August 1998 a first position as 
postdoctoral fellow at the Planetary Geosciences Division of the
Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of
Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA. The research was focused on the
investigation of the surface composition of the icy Galilean
satellites, using measurements conducted by the Near-Infrared
Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) onboard the Galileo spacecraft.

This was followed in September 1998 by an academic position as
Research Associate at the Center for Radiophysics and Space
Research, Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, NY, USA.
The position involved working primarily with the planning,
reduction, analysis, and publication of data obtained by the NIS
instrument onboard the Near Earth Asteroid Rendez-vous spacecraft.
Other projects associated with the position included scientific
research using recalibrated multispectral data of the Martian
surface obtained in situ (Mars Pathfinder) and from Earth orbit
(HST).

Since April 2000, I work at ESA as Planetary Scientist on the Mars 
Express mission. I was based at ESTEC until August 2006. The
position involves working primarily with the Project Scientist and
Mission Manager Team, the Ground Segment Team, and the Principal
Investigators Teams.  Since my move to ESAC in September 2006, I 
am involved in implementing the SCI-SO Division activities here 
in Spain, and will look into conducting research investigations
linked to the future European exploration of the Solar System,
focusing on Mars and the selection of landing sites.